I’m a Mother-in-Law, but I Dislike Conflict with My Daughter-in-Law - Chapter 118

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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I’m a Mother-in-Law, But I Don’t Want Family Conflicts Episode 118

 

It felt like yesterday when everything seemed to be going well, but Edwin’s life was beginning to become increasingly complicated and tangled.

 

It all started at the Baronial House’s banquet hall.

 

‘The Count has fainted.’

 

He had no memory of anything after holding the wine glass in his hand.

 

When he opened his eyes, he found himself lying in the Baron’s House reception room.

 

According to the surrounding nobles, he had been found unconscious on the banquet hall terrace with his pants down.

 

He insisted that couldn’t be true, but all he got in return was mockery.

 

Thanks to his title of Count, it ended at just this much, but if he had been a lower-ranking noble, it would have been shameful enough to keep him out of social circles for several years.

 

‘And I even hit my head? Me?’

 

Judging by the traces on the floor, he was told that the heavily intoxicated Edwin must have stumbled and hit his head.

 

But even with just a little thought, there were many strange points.

 

If he had fainted from hitting his head, why would he have gone all the way to the terrace edge and pulled down his pants?

 

Moreover, what was on his pants wasn’t urine but alcohol.

 

Someone had knocked him unconscious and poured alcohol on him.

 

Of course, there was no one who would believe this claim.

 

‘And that Baron bastard…!’

 

If it was a problem that couldn’t be explained, he had to bury it so the rumors wouldn’t spread.

 

He somehow succeeded in silencing the nobles who had witnessed it, but his name was being circulated in an unexpected place.

 

‘Oh my, Count. You shouldn’t drink too much today, should you?’

 

That bastard Baron Romd had started spreading word of the incident in high society.

 

From wherever the information had leaked, Baron Romd exposed Edwin’s disgrace in very detailed fashion.

 

It was an unusual situation where a mere Baron was spreading rumors about a Count, but the nobles of high society, who were drawn to stimulating stories, listened to his explanation with interest.

 

Since they weren’t the ones being targeted as the main culprit of the rumors anyway, their attitude was that they would enjoy it for now.

 

‘A military noble with nothing to show for it!’

 

Baron Romd was a military-born noble, a man who had been awarded a medal as a capable strategist.

 

He, who usually rarely showed his face in social circles, suddenly appeared one day and began drawing attention with rumors about Count Tilim.

 

‘How dare a mere Baron defy me?’

 

He thought he would retaliate against him by any means necessary.

 

To make matters worse, the business that had been providing him with funding also began to face setbacks.

 

The moment he entered his office, holding his throbbing head due to his hangover, he received unimaginable news from his subordinate.

 

“What? Investigators from the Ducal House? Why did they come barging in?”

 

“They said our business is illegal…”

 

“You should have turned them away!”

 

“But the evidence is clear. They even brought a written document for search and seizure.”

 

Because the Duke’s investigation agency, which had been the subject of much rumor, came storming in.

 

They arrested the trading company owner, claiming that the trading company Edwin had invested in was suspected of stock manipulation and accounting fraud.

 

The evidence was too clear to call it political pressure.

 

An employee who had been fired for being annoyingly honest had secretly stolen documents and reported them.

 

“Ugh… What’s the situation?”

 

“Business is completely paralyzed. We need to settle accounts at the end of the month, but all our funds are frozen so we can’t do anything. At this rate, the promissory note payment deadline…”

 

“Damn it, is there no word from the Duchess?”

 

The subordinate who knew about his dealings with the ducal house made a tearful face, saying he had already tried contacting them.

 

“They said to handle this level of matter ourselves, and that their reputation is already ruined because of our request…”

 

“Damn! That old woman!”

 

Edwin cursed while thinking of Kaine’s face.

 

The request they were referring to was the promise to ban Chloe from entering the ducal house.

 

It wasn’t Edwin who had made this request, but Kaine.

 

‘I should have ignored it completely!’

 

He had granted the request to get rid of the bothersome Kaine, but it ended up becoming a shackle instead.

 

Anyone well-informed about rumors knew that Chloe was staying with Wilhelmina.

 

For Edwin, that didn’t matter either way.

 

He had no interest in whether Chloe was there or not anyway.

 

But because of Kaine’s request, falling out of favor with the ducal house was painful.

 

‘Their reputation being ruined… that’s because of Grand Duchess Wilhelmina.’

 

In other words, the relationship between the two ladies had become uncomfortable because of one person, Chloe.

 

Having granted the request only to cause internal family conflict, Edwin had no justification to ask for help.

 

“A-and since the investigators are Duke Layton’s direct agency, wouldn’t it be faster to speak to the Duke rather than the Duchess…”

 

“Shut up! Who doesn’t know that!”

 

“Eek! S-sorry!”

 

The subordinate hurriedly bowed his head.

 

‘Tell the Duke? Absolutely not.’

 

His benefactor had advised him countless times not to get involved with Mikhail.

 

It was advice from a benefactor who was like a fortune teller, whose every piece of advice had proven correct.

 

While he might ignore others’ words, Edwin trusted his benefactor’s advice, so he never touched anything involving Mikhail.

 

It was already a stroke of luck that Mikhail wasn’t interfering just because it was Helene’s business.

 

‘Damn it, strange rumors, that soldier, and now investigators…’

 

Edwin took deep breaths, trying to calm himself.

 

He hadn’t made any terrible mistakes yet.

 

The trading company could be abandoned by discarding the puppet owner, and the rumors would die down with time.

 

He just needed to successfully complete the business Helene was pursuing.

 

Then he would be sitting on a pile of money, and his connection to the ducal house would give him justification to approach the woman he had secretly set his sights on.

 

“First, try to recover the investment somehow. Move carefully so the retainers don’t find out.”

 

“What about the social circles?”

 

“I’ll handle that myself. I’ll just meet him directly and beat him to a pulp. No matter if he’s a former soldier, he’s just a baron – the price for daring to show insolence to a count…”

 

While giving orders for future responses, the office door suddenly opened.

 

The person who opened the door was another subordinate.

 

Breaking out in cold sweat, he stammered as he spoke.

 

“C-Count. Baron Romd has started spreading different rumors.”

 

“What now?”

 

Edwin asked irritably, wondering what other lies that bastard he’d never even met had fabricated.

 

The subordinate gulped and continued.

 

“He said that you, Count, are actually a spy from the Eastern Region.”

 

“What kind of damn…”

 

As he was about to finish saying “nonsense,” one fact flashed through his mind.

 

Edwin had no connection to the Eastern Region, but there was one thing that came to mind.

 

Black Hand.

 

The assassination organization that had fled from the Eastern Region and made their nest in the capital and Western Region, the one he was dealing with.

 

The cold sweat that had been flowing down his subordinate’s forehead now began flowing down Edwin’s spine as well.

 

‘N-no way.’

 

The worst assumption came to mind that Baron Romd might know Edwin’s secret.

 

“Was there anything else? Like evidence of being a spy!”

 

“There wasn’t any. Instead, he said to wait a little. That he would prove it himself…”

 

So he only had suspicions but hadn’t obtained physical evidence yet?

 

If Baron Romd’s words were true, Edwin had no time left.

 

Forget business – his head was about to roll.

 

He hurriedly left the office.

 

“Count? Where are you going!”

 

“Shut up and do your work! Don’t follow me!”

 

And he hurriedly headed to the bedroom.

 

As he passed the confused servants, he spotted Kaine at the end of the corridor.

 

Visibly haggard, she approached Edwin with quick steps.

 

“Count! Chloe, Chloe hasn’t returned. Please, our daughter…”

 

The moment he saw her face, irritation flared up.

 

Edwin burst out shouting.

 

“Shut up! Don’t be a nuisance and stay locked in your room! Play with those dolls you love so much instead of meddling in family affairs!”

 

“What, what did you say?”

 

The fact that Kaine had filled her bedroom with expensive dolls was something everyone in the mansion knew.

 

Edwin, who found that childish hobby disgusting, glared at Kaine with an unprecedentedly cold gaze.

 

“Tsk, if she had known her place like her daughter, this wouldn’t have happened.”

 

“I, ah, lies…”

 

Kaine, who had revered Edwin like a savior, stammered with an expression filled with betrayal.

 

“Now you can’t even speak properly. Going senile?”

 

“Count!”

 

The maid who was attending to Kaine called out to Edwin in a shrill voice.

 

Normally he would have snapped at her for daring to talk back, but right now there was no time.

 

He moved his steps without even glancing at Kaine who had collapsed on the floor.

 

“Put her in a room! Don’t let her appear before my eyes for a while!”

 

“Th-this person is the Grand Madam! Even if you are the Count…”

 

“Ha! If you want to play family games, try making some allies! Do you know how many retainers are targeting that old woman?”

 

Kaine’s shoulders trembled with a jolt.

 

Her savior, whom she had brought out of fear of the retainers’ reproach, was now humiliating her.

 

Leaving the despairing Kaine behind, Edwin arrived at his bedroom.

 

Then he went out to the terrace and grabbed a bundle that had been attached to the railing.

 

‘Let me see, what was the summoning message?’

 

He put the coded paper inside it.

 

The content was simple.

 

[Assassination needed. Method: Disappearance.]

 

The target was Baron Romd. Before his conspiracy theories could spread further, he had to be quickly erased from high society.

 

Edwin looked up at the sky with an anxious expression.

 

He hoped a pigeon would fly over soon and take away his request letter.

 

Little did he dream that it would go not to Black Hand, but to the wolf who had been plotting to kill him.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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